Relationships Between Bone Mineral Density and Jumping Height in Prepubertal Girls with Different Physical Activity Patterns

Better bone mineral density (BMD) in childhood might prevent osteoporosis in later life (Baxter-Jones et al., 2008). Recent studies show that high impact loading (such as rhythmic gymnastics) is the most effective type of bone- building activity in pubertal years (Gruodyte et al., 2010), because high-impact activity, for example jumping, seems to be even more osteogenic than calcium or protein intake (Iuliano-Burns et al., 2005). In girls, with regard to physical activity, greater emphasis should also be placed on prepubertal period (Bass et al., 1998), when half of lumbar adult peak bone mass is acquired (Sabatier et al., 1999).